About Cape Verde

The Cape Verde Islands lie 385 miles from Senegal and 800 miles south of the Canaries.

They are on the same latitude as Barbados and there are regular flights to Brazil. The Cape Verde Islands are just one hour behind UK time there is no jet lag.

The archipelago of Cape Verde presents the nearest tropical islands to the UK. Climatically they are a marine extension of the Sahara, and benefit from a dry, moderate climate throughout the year with generally very little rainfall although it can vary according to the island and altitude.

At the coast it rains on average only 22 days a year in contrast to nearly 3000 hours of sunshine (average 8 hours per day). There is a pleasant, almost permanent breeze. It can rain more often in the green and mountainous islands.

When you travel to Cape Verde you will find that Cape Verde is a cocktail of what you may find in other destinations.

The magnificent beaches often with lush interiors and the Creole people are reminiscent of the Seychelles. Islands such as Sal and Sao Vicente have a barren landscape and climate similar to the Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

In the verdant highlands of Santiago and Santo Antao you could quite easily be in Kenya’s Rift Valley. Some of the coastal areas and fishing villages recall The Gambia. The awesome volcanic island of Fogo rises from the sea like Stromboli.

The overall impression is of a fascinating and unspoiled holiday destination with each island different to its neighbour. There are 10 main islands to Cape Verde for tourists which are Sao Vicente, Sal, Santiago, Santo Antao, Boa Vista, Miao, Brava and Sao Nicolau

Although tourism to the islands is developing, it remains in its infancy and many aspects are unsophisticated compared to more established and well-known resorts. Cape Verde will appeal to those wishing to experience a vibrant way of life, fascinating people, fabulous beaches, sunshine, some island hopping and a sense of adventure.

Time:

Local time is GMT -1.

Electricity:

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50 Hz. Round two-pin attachment plugs and Schuko plugs are used

Money:

The unit of currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE), broken down into 100 centavos. The CVE is tied to the Euro at CVE 110.27 = 1 Euro. There is a bureau de change at the airport, and local banks will change travellers cheques and foreign currency, although there is a high commission on travellers cheques. ATMs can be found at the airport and in Sal, Praia and Sâo Vincent. Major credit cards, particularly Mastercard and Visa are currently accepted in a few main resort hotels and restaurants. Banks will give cash on credit cards but commissions are high. To avoid additional charges, carry travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Note: These rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Cape Verde Climate and Weather:

The tropical climate of Cape Verde is tempered by trade winds, temperatures remaining constant most of the year. The rainy season is during August, September and October, the amount being rather unpredictable.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	5	5	3	0	0	0	0	15	33	8	3	3
Rainfall (inches)	0.2	0.2	0.1	0	0	0	0	0.6	1.3	0.3	0.1	0.1
Avg Temp (°C)	22	21	22	22	23	23	24	26	27	26	24	23
Avg Temp (°F)	71	70	71	71	73	73	75	79	81	79	75	73

Language:

The official language is Portuguese and a patois known as Crioulo.

Take a look at our fact sheet on ‘What to expect’ on your holiday to the Cape Verde islands.

Take a look at the islands

Kwik Travel is a trading name of the Freedom Travel Group Limited registered in England and Wales with registered number 07413809. Vat No. 239 3841 42. Registered Office: The Thomas Cook Business Park, Coningsby Road, Peterborough, PE3 8SB. Head Office: Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, ST6 1AJ. The Freedom Travel Group is part of Co-op Group Travel 2 Holdings Limited. Kwik Travel acts as an agent for ATOL holders and other principles.

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Why go to Cape Verde?

Fantastic year round destination

Average temperatures in the high twenties

Be there in under 6 hours flying time

Beautiful white sands & clear turquoise waters

Fantastic watersports & deep blue sea fishing